World Spay Day: experts highlight importance of neutering to tackle cat population crisis

Date published: 26 February 2019

This World Spay Day (Tuesday 26 February), a group of cat and vet organisations have come together to highlight the cat overpopulation crisis facing the UK.

The Cat Population Control Group (CPCG) – made up of nine UK animal welfare charities – is calling for kittens to be neutered from four months old to avoid unplanned litters and reduce the thousands of cats who end up in the care of the RSPCA and other charities.

Neutering cats from four months old – the same age as when a female cat can become pregnant – rather than the traditional six months will have a significant impact on the number of unplanned litters, and therefore reduce the large number of homeless cats.

The RSPCA rescues more cats than any other animal, rescuing more than 22,000 felines in 2018. The charity also received more than 150,000 cat-related calls last year – the equivalent of 18 calls every hour.

Jane Clements, Head of Neutering at Cats Protection, said: “The CPCG collaboration enables the charities to work together effectively to decrease the numbers of accidental litters born, which is fundamental to preventing cats and kittens ending up in shelter care or being born on the streets.”

A 2018 report by PDSA Animal Wellbeing revealed that 9% of cats are not neutered - equating to 999,000 unneutered cats in the UK.

The top reasons for not neutering included that the owner hadn’t thought about it (24%), that the cat doesn’t go outside (15%), and they were too young (15%).

Last year’s PDSA report also found that 13% of owners of female cats said that their cat had at least one litter and 70% of those owners said that their cat’s pregnancy was unplanned.

Cats Protection claims, in a period of only five years, a single female cat, producing three litters per year, with an average of four to six kittens per litter, can be responsible for 20,000 descendants.

Female cats that are spayed before their first heat will have a reduced chance of mammary cancer, and will be unable to develop pyometra, which is a serious uterine condition that can cause death. Also, an unwanted pregnancy in an already ill or aging cat can be fatal.

Male cats which have been neutered have less chance of being injured in fights over females, of developing prostate problems, and of catching feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), an incurable disease similar to HIV in humans

FIV is spread through saliva and is usually contracted through bite wounds during fights: neutering cats reduces their urge to roam and fight so they’re less likely to go missing, get hit by cars, or get hurt.

Naomi Rhys Thomas, who runs Bluebell Cat Rescue at Hollingworth Lake, echoes the CPCG’s calls as she believes that the combination of failing to neuter and also a failure to vaccinate is contributing to an increase in diseases amongst an increasing cat population.

She said: “We work as a triage rescue, taking in sick and injured cats, supporting other rescues and organisations.

“Already this year, we are dealing with so many unwanted cats and kittens. Kitten season now seems to be all year long. As a result, we are seeing a massive increase in numbers of feral cats but also diseases such as cat flu, leukaemia and panleukopenia, which pet cats should be vaccinated against.”

Naomi is also keen to dispel the myth that cats should have at least one litter. One such case at Bluebell, Pixie, suffered nerve damage when she gave birth to her first – and only – litter of kittens.

Despite carrying kittens before coming to Bluebell’s care, Pixie’s pregnancy was only discovered on the morning she was due to be spayed.

Several weeks on, one of her kittens, Atticus, is now showing signs of cerebellar hypoplasia – a condition that affects co-ordination – likely as a result of Pixie, who hadn’t been vaccinated, contracting panleukopenia whilst pregnant, a highly contagious viral disease of cats caused by the feline parvovirus.

The feline parvovirus attacks and kills the cells that rapidly divide, such as those produced in the bone marrow and intestines, whilst it can also affect developing kittens.

Unfortunately, most kittens infected with panleukopenia die.

Cerebellar hypoplasia, often known as ‘wobbly cat syndrome’, does not affect lifespan, health or quality of life, although affected cats must live in a safe environment indoors or with restricted outdoor access.

Naomi continued: “Sadly, the old wives’ tale of cats being better off having a first litter is still a widely held belief when it is completely untrue. The feral cat population is out of control and rescues who trap, neuter and release are struggling to keep up.

“People don’t realise that their unneutered male cat will be out impregnating female strays. Just last week, we recovered the dead bodies of four kittens from a garage where feral cats had been breeding with local cats.

“If you love your cat, spay and neuter.”

Carrie Stones, Cat Population Control Manager at the RSPCA, added: “Sadly, cats are the most rescued animal by the RSPCA; we receive hundreds of thousands of calls about their welfare each year.

“The UK is facing a cat overpopulation crisis as there are simply not enough homes for the large number of cats we and other charities see. We believe the answer is to neuter cats from four months old to ensure that no more unwanted litters are born.”

This year, World Spay Day is being promoted by staff at the Greater Manchester Animal Hospital, with the launch of their mobile neutering van, funded with help from Support Adoption for Pets, the charitable arm of Pets at Home, as well as the Charitable Trust W.G Harvey’s Discretionary Settlement.

The van will travel around Greater Manchester offering free or discounted neutering for cat owners on a welfare-need basis.

Additionally, Cats Protection routinely offers financial assistance towards neutering costs through their means-tested neutering scheme, so that neutering can cost as little as £10.

To see if you are eligible for financial assistance, contact the Cats Protection national neutering team (Mon-Fri 9.30am-1pm) on 03000 12 12 12 or email the Rochdale Branch: rochdalecats@hotmail.co.uk

If you are eligible for a Cats Protection voucher, Bluebell Cat Rescue can offer free help with pre and post-operative advice, and also with taking your cat to or from a neutering operation: bluebellcatrescue@gmail.com

Atticus, a kitten with cerebellar hypoplasia ('wobbly cat syndrome')
©Bluebell Cat Rescue